Those who work in the laser industry know that, every time they visit a laser safety site, the eyewear lines have grown and changed. Why is that?

Laser Eyewear: A Constant Development

Laser eyewear is composed of all of the eyewear used in medical, research, industrial, academic, and other industries to protect against direct and scattered radiation produced by lasers.Most high-powered lasers in use today are dangerous tools that can easily cause permanent injury if misused, and safety equipment is tantamount to their safe operation. One of the most vulnerable body parts to laser damage is the eye. Because of the sensitive nature of the photoreceptors in the eyes, lasers are capable of easily and instantly damaging or destroying our sense of sight if a beam, its reflection, or even a scattered part of a beam comes in contact with them.

So why is laser eyewear changing? Were the old laser safety glasses less safe?

1. Laser eyewear is constantly changing because there are constantly new lasers being developed which require the development of new eyewear to protect from them. Each year, more and more new lasers are introduced to various industries, creating a need for a wider variety of laser safety glasses.
2. Multi-lasers, or lasers that emit beams of several wavelengths, require especially technologically-advanced laser eyewear to ensure that protection exists from all wavelengths.
3. Many of the laser safety glasses used with multi-lasers today offer excellent protection but poor visible light transmission (VLT), making it harder to work with them. New laser safety glasses are being engineered to replace older, less advanced models to improve safety and working conditions.
4. New styles of laser safety glasses are also often coming out as the industry changes and demands new looks. It is important to those working in aesthetic laser industries that their patients feel comfortable, so stylish laser eyewear is necessary to the successful operation of these businesses.
5. Laser technology is an exciting new field! Those involved are constantly trying to improve upon old designs, and that includes eyewear engineers. We are constantly working to improve our line to stay on the cutting edge of laser technology.

Laser eyewear is fun to shop for because of all of the interesting lens colors and stylish frame choices available to laser operators. It benefits everyone involved when new laser safety glasses are released into the market, expanding the laser eyewear selection.

If you are shopping for laser safety glasses and aren’t sure what to pick amongst the many choices, you can always give us a call, leave a comment below, or talk with your in-house Laser Safety Office (LSO), if you have one. We are excited about the ever-expanding field of lasers, and we’re proud to be a part of it! If you’re in a laser industry, we hope you feel as we do and are excited by our selection of laser eyewear and styles. Thanks for reading, and stay safe!

If you have questions about our photochromic safety glasses or what’s right for you, give us a call or leave a comment below! We’d love to help you decide if these are right for you.